The Hottest State (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The score for Ethan Hawke’s modern romance is that rarest of film music gems, a true song-track centered around a single songwriter’s muse, one that courses through its cinematic inspiration like life’s blood, yet stands alone as a bracing, emotionally satisfying collection in its own right. The cornerstones of that success are the delicate, frequently melancholy songs of contemporary songwriting standout Jesse Harris, as hand-picked by Hawke himself. Building on that firm foundation are frequently riveting performances by an eclectic range of artists that range from superstar veterans Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris to the bluesy, Exile On Mainstreet-channeling performance of “If You Ever Slip” by the Black Keys, an elegant “World of Trouble” by Norah Jones (whose performance of Harris’ “Don’t Know Why” previously scored her a Grammy) and M. Ward’s evocation of Randy Newman’s Southern underbelly on “Crooked Lines.” But the album’s biggest surprise comes courtesy of the sultry, hypnotic vocal presence of little known Argentinean chanteuse Rocha (who dubs star Catalina Sandino Morena’s voice in the film) on three tracks, including English and Spanish versions of the film’s musical centerpiece, “Never See You.” As fine a collection of original performances as has graced a film in many a year — and one that finds deeper emotional resonance with every listen.